the thoughts of one Robert Stribley, who plans to contribute his dispatches with characteristic infrequency

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Flower Power

In the truly good news column, if only technology were applied this way more often: Aresa Biodetection, a Danish biotech company has engineered a wildflower which can detect landmines. The Thale Cress turns from green to red if it's growing near a landmine. Usually, finding land mines involves dogs or sophisticated detection devices. Could save an awful lot of children's limbs.

Landmines represent a significant problem, especially in the third world, where 26,000 (source:Red Cross) people in average are killed or injured every year. Another significant problem is that large areas of land (in Cambodia estimated 40%, in Angola estimated 90%(source:UN) are unused with severe socio-economic consequences for the population/countries.